The invention relates to a telephone set with an on-hold function.
Various techniques are known for responding to an incoming telephone call when a user has signaled that he or she is not able or willing to answer the call. From U.S. Pat. No. 6,055,305 for example, it is known to answer an incoming call automatically in this case. Similarly, it is possible to provide for an automatic answer when an incoming call is not picked up within a predetermined time interval.
These techniques all assume that the user will not be available for an indefinite period. Hence, automatic handling of the incoming call is directed at completion of the call.
In contrast, when the line is busy at the time of arrival of the incoming call, it may be assumed that the user will be available within the foreseeable future. Japanese patent application No. 2-142263 discloses how such an incoming call can be kept xe2x80x9con-holdxe2x80x9d during the preceding call. The called user is notified of the incoming call during the preceding call and is enabled to press a response holding button, which causes a message to be sent to the caller that the incoming call is placed on-hold during the preceding call. Similarly, Japanese patent application No. 1-191549 allows the user to interject a voice command to place the telephone on hold during the conversation in the preceding call. These techniques have the advantage that the caller is not forced to call again if he or she wants to talk with the user.
Thus, the known techniques provide for incoming call termination when the user has signaled that he or she is not available and for an on-hold state for an incoming call that arrives during a preceding call. The situation where the user has to delay answering the incoming call at a time when he or she is not engaged in a call, is not addressed. Normally, one would expect the user who is not engaged in a telephone call to pick up the telephone when receiving an incoming call, or to let the phone ring, but it has been found that there are situations where the user is so engaged that call can""t be answered immediately or has his or hands so full that the call can""t be answered immediately.
Amongst others, it is an object of the invention to provide for a telephone set that enables a user to delay answering the incoming call at a time when he or she is not on the telephone.
The invention provides for a telephone set, comprising
an input for receiving a call setup message for an incoming call;
an output for signaling the setup message to a user of the telephone set;
a user interface supporting an on-hold user command given after start of said signaling and before the user answers the incoming call, the user interface responding to the on-hold user command by causing the incoming call to be placed automatically on-hold prior to establishment of a voice connection between the user and the incoming call.
According to the invention, the user is able to place the incoming call on-hold, i.e. to stop the telephone set from ringing, without yet answering the incoming call. Preferably, a signal is sent back to the caller that the user will answer the incoming call, but that he or she has to delay answering the call.
Preferably the user interface comprises a voice command unit arranged to receive the on-hold user command. Thus, the user can use his or her voice to put the incoming call on hold. Especially when the user does not have his or her hands free it is desirable to be able to put the call on hold without using the hands. In an embodiment the telephone set has an operating mode in which functions for normally answering the incoming call, other than putting the call on-hold, are only operated by one or more buttons. Thus a conventional button interface can be used at least for functions other than the on-hold command. Preferably, voice recognition for the on-hold function is switched on only upon receiving the incoming call and switched off again once the call is answered or placed on-hold, or after a predetermined time interval. Thus power consumption for the on-hold function is minimized.